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Cook County Arrests 80 'Deadbeat Dads'

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A total of 80 "deadbeat dads" who owe more than $1.7 million in child support were arrested in a two-week Cook County Sheriff sting.

Sheriff Tom Dart announced the arrests the day after Father's Day.

"It's particularly troubling to think that even on Father's Day – a day intended to honor one of the two most important people in a child's life – there are men continuously shirking their duties," he said.

The sting targeted dads across Cook County. Among those arrested, Cleveland Keys Jr., 46, of the 1200 block of West 90th Street in Chicago, owed the highest amount of unpaid support at $213,677.41.

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Keys owns a barber shop in Evergreen Park. He was apprehended June 14 after an undercover officer went in for a haircut in order to determine when Keys would next be at the business.

Cleveland Keys Jr
Cleveland Keys Jr. (Credit: Cook County Sheriff)

Byron Portis, 29, of the 9500 block of South Racine, owes $59,227 in child support.

Inside Portis' home, found more than $44,000 stuffed in a bag, as well as four loaded firearms.

Another man nabbed in the sweep, Yaser Hadidi, 51, of the 7600 block of West 63rd Street in Summit, has been arrested five times in connection with his failure to pay $50,935.48 in child support.

Investigators also are seeking David Fisher, 45, of the 1700 block of West Hubbard Avenue in Chicago, who owes $243,569 in back child support.

"We've got one guy that we're still pretty actively looking for named David Fisher," Dart said. "He owes about $250,000 in back child support. And we have information that he drives around in a BMW."

If you have information on anyone wanted for failure to pay child support, please call 1-800-447-4278.

Dart says his website also has information on deadbeat dads they're looking for - and tips are welcome.

"It's all anonymous," he said. "We don't need to know who you are. We will then go out and make the arrest and then bring the individual before a judge where they'll start doing what they should've been doing for years."

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